Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: tdog on May 21, 2010, 04:53:41 pm

Title: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 21, 2010, 04:53:41 pm
First of all, I will be up front with you guys, I am starting this thread because I want to see some pictures of bows plain and simple. I just started making bows(finished my first a couple weeks ago) and I like to get inspiration and ideas from you guys on future bows.

So, if you don't mind, post a picture or two(or five) of your favorite bow. I know it may be hard for most of you to narrow it down to just one bow, but post a pic of your current favorite or the bow you are most proud of. I would like to have a thread to save to reference for ideas on layout, wood types, tip overlays, etc.

Thanks from a bowmaking newbie!
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Pat B on May 21, 2010, 05:24:32 pm
My favorite bow is the one I am shooting or making at the time.  ;D   I'll try to post a few pics for you this evening.
  Welcome tp PA and the addiction of wood bow building. I think you are hooked!!! ;D
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Phil Rees on May 21, 2010, 05:25:29 pm
 ;D ....you sly old dog .... I'll get the camera out ... ;D
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: John K on May 21, 2010, 06:10:33 pm
Take a look at the Bow Of The Month threads, lots of pictures there of great bows.  :)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 21, 2010, 07:05:14 pm
Take a look at the Bow Of The Month threads, lots of pictures there of great bows.  :)

Thanks, I'll do that also. I just thought having a single thread that I could save to a favorites list would be a great reference to myself(or others). I like to see others ideas for grip style, tip overlays, staining options, bow layout, bow style, etc. Plus it would be a great way to show someone who might be interested in trying bowmaking the many options and beautiful craftsmanship that is out there.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: ken75 on May 21, 2010, 10:57:22 pm
i assume u mean ones that i built , there are lots of bows on here that are better but for ease of shooting and just plain fun i like this one i built a month or two ago the best

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: okiecountryboy on May 21, 2010, 11:22:32 pm
Moderators and Admins.....( you know who you are  ;D 8) ;D )

I think this is one dang good idea!
A my fav bow thread or even a main discission area dedicated only to bow pics, ntn,ttt, #, type of wood, etc...would be very beneficial to all of us..Especially newbies and frustrated newbies like me ??? ??? ;D.
I believe it would not only be an asset to PA, but an inspiration to all of the members.

I know I would truely enjoy a discussion area like this

Ron
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Pat B on May 22, 2010, 12:31:18 am
Here is a few pics of handles I use mostly. One finished with rattan wrap the other naked showing the leather overlays to fill out the bulbous style handle.

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/handles002.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/handles003.jpg)

This is my go to bow for the last few years. Yew selfbow(47#@26") with only bear fat finish, bison tip overlays and hemp cord handle wrap with floppy rest.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/forPA001.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/forPA006.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/forPA016.jpg)

same bow on stand in GA.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/PatBNC/DixieHuntClub9-08010.jpg)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: okiecountryboy on May 22, 2010, 12:50:55 am
Pat B
See what I mean.....Good pics, beautiful bows, and inspiration!!!!!!!!!
Think about it.....(i.e. MAIN DISCUSSION AREA) :o :) :o

Ron
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 22, 2010, 01:11:25 am
Thanks Pat. That is exactly what I was looking for. The more variety the better. Obviously you like the rattan, I would have thought it would be slick on the hand. Is it? Do you apply it with TB III or similar glue?
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Pat B on May 22, 2010, 01:31:38 am
The rattan makes a very good handle wrap. It is comfortable, has good traction and is suitable for all weather conditions. I soak the rattan in warm water wrap it tucking the beginning under the wrap and tucking the tag end under a few wraps. I then add a bit of super glue hear and there and that seems to hold well.   The only negative is I use 1/8" wide rattan and it takes a continuous piece about 16' long for my 4" handles.
  I also like the hemp cord wrap. I buy it at Wally World. It is wrapped the same as the rattan but I saturate it with 2ton epoxy thinned with acetone. Weather proof, feels good in the hand, good traction and cheap!  ;D
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on May 22, 2010, 10:15:03 am
Those are surely good lookin' bows! There are some bows on my site. You can see them there. Ain't no way I'm posting my uglies with these pretties! :) Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: half eye on May 22, 2010, 10:28:02 am
tdog,
      I like the short NA bows, but also the Mollegabets. Here's one of the Mollegabets....carved oak, started out at 75# and I retillered it to the low 60's (it's an old man thing).
Rich

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Alpinbogen on May 22, 2010, 10:47:16 am
My favorite is one at any given time is usually my most recent one.  But most new flings eventually fade in favor of old standbys.  Out of a wall full of bows, this osage stick is a few years old, but is one of my go-to bows.  I always go back to bows of this design.
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/Alpinbogen/TexasMarch2007077a.jpg)
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/Alpinbogen/den6-27-09001a.jpg)
(http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/Alpinbogen/bowz010a.jpg)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 22, 2010, 10:50:10 am
Ken75, great looking bow. What wood did you use?

Rich, wow! Great bow, the carving looks awesome. Where do mollegabets originate? They look similar to holmgaards to me.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 22, 2010, 10:57:51 am
Alpinbogen, must be hard to pick just one of those :). I like the red color stain, what did you use? What is it about that style bow that makes you reach for it?

Keep them coming guys. This is exactly what I need.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: ken75 on May 22, 2010, 12:30:03 pm
T thats black walnut ,1/4 sawn steamed reflex, 45 #
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: rileyconcrete on May 22, 2010, 01:04:58 pm
tdog,
Here is my favorite bow.  It is an Osage bow, pulls 60# at 27", and is fairly fast.  The only thing I want to change is that it has no rest, I cant shoot real well without one but I was trying to learn and its not working real well.  Here are a few pictures.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: half eye on May 22, 2010, 01:06:40 pm
tdog,
     The bows got their names from where the squints dug 'em up at. The Holmegard was dug up in Holmegaard Denmark, and the Mollegabet was dug up in you guessed it?   The Holmegaard is about 7,000 yrs old and the Mollegabet is about 5,000 yrs old. The holme is like an american flat bow ( limbs the same width out to a certain point and then a taper to the tips). The mollegabet has paralell working limbs about half way out and a lever (that doesn't bend) from there to the knocks  The first has fully bending limbs and the second is half bending and that propels a lever. The Mollegabet produces more draw length, more easily than does the holmegaard. Oh ya, these bows pre-date the Vikings by a whole bunch....but the Mollegabet did survive past the true Viking age (there is evidence of the Russ using them into the middle ages, in what we now know as Russia)
Rich
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 22, 2010, 02:25:54 pm
Riley, lots of character in that one.

Rich, thanks for the history lesson and for a great description of each type of bow.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: OldBow on May 22, 2010, 02:40:13 pm
Hickory backed Yew w. snakeskin

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Hrothgar on May 22, 2010, 06:12:58 pm
Riley, thats one crooked stave! Nice bow.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: shikari on May 22, 2010, 06:27:09 pm
I just blew my fav bow,lol,time to go to the next one,like my teacher says,"if you are not breaking them,you are not learning .
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 24, 2010, 05:18:24 pm
ttt for some more pics. I hope to keep this thread going
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Josh on May 24, 2010, 05:34:57 pm
my current number 1....  added link  ;)

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,18981.0.html

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/Osage%20with%20Copperheads/kdk_1775.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/Osage%20with%20Copperheads/kdk_1792.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/Osage%20with%20Copperheads/kdk_1777.jpg)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Josh on May 24, 2010, 05:38:51 pm
And my number 2
IT is a half bamboo backed, and a half hickory backed takedown bow.  I keep it behind the seat of my truck in case of emergencies, LOL>

here's a link to the original post  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,17285.0.html

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/takedown%20bow/1.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/takedown%20bow/11.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/takedown%20bow/4.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/takedown%20bow/9.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/takedown%20bow/16.jpg)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 25, 2010, 01:14:40 am
Great looking bows guys! Thanks for the closeups. I like the detail work on the tip overlays. Josh, that is a very unique takedown, very cool.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Mark Anderson on May 25, 2010, 01:43:14 pm
Ok this may be odd but my favorite bow to shoot isn't mine. I made this for my wife but she let's me shoot it whenever I want, and it is a blast to shoot. Maybe because it's only 38#, and is reallt sweet in the hand. (really guys it's not because of the purple stain).
Mark

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Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Matthias Wiltschko on May 25, 2010, 02:18:53 pm
This is my favourite Osage Orange bow with rawhidebacking.
It draws 41#@27"

(http://www.bogenbau-wiltschko.at/pix/boegen/pech/1.JPG)
(http://www.bogenbau-wiltschko.at/pix/boegen/pech/5.JPG)
(http://www.bogenbau-wiltschko.at/pix/boegen/pech/16.JPG)

Here are some more pics:
http://www.bogenbau-wiltschko.at/pech.html

Matthias
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Pat B on May 25, 2010, 02:22:32 pm
Very cool bow Matthias. Love that circular bend!
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 25, 2010, 04:16:49 pm
Very nice bow Matthias. Where was the pic taken, looks like it's straight out of Sherwood Forest. :)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Matthias Wiltschko on May 25, 2010, 07:09:33 pm
Thank you!
The picture was taken in Europe - Austria - Lower Austria - Woodquarter, that's where I live.
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: Cooper on May 26, 2010, 04:48:52 pm
Hm, normally the bow I had just finished is the favorite one … but if there is a bow I prefer to the others, it is this one (finished March 2007):

Ipe with Bamboo-Backing, reflex/deflex and simple.
641/2", 41lb/28"

(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/6131666265643463.jpg)

(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/6631646662373534.jpg)   (http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/3033316338396163.jpg)

And action …
(http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/61/331061/3536636239376665.jpg)
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: youngbowyer33 on May 26, 2010, 07:18:19 pm
interesting looking bow. but the more i look at it the more i like it
Title: Re: Your favorite bow
Post by: tdog on May 27, 2010, 03:40:49 pm
Very nice Cooper. BBI is one of my favorite wood combos. I want to make one myself one day.